Hepatitis C or "Hep C" is more common in certain areas of the world, e.g. Africa and the Middle East. But even in the UK, more than 200,000 people have chronic (long-term) infection with the virus. It's spread via blood contact, in several ways.

Catching Hep C through sex is rare, particularly if you are in a monogamous, heterosexual relationship and are HIV-negative.

It's more common if you're HIV-positive, particularly if you're a man who has sex with men (MSM), if you have “traumatic” anal sex (such as fisting), or if you're carrying another STI (like Gonorrhoea).

Other things that make you more likely to contract Hep C are if you have group sex, share lube or sex toys or use drugs whilst having sex (Chemsex). It's also seen more in 'serosorting' (when HIV positive people choose sexual partners who are HIV positive too).

In some people, Hep C clears up by itself, causing no permanent damage. However, if it stays in the body for over 6 months this is “Chronic Hep C.”

Chronic Hep C is curable. Newer treatment known as Direct Acting Anti-Viral Drugs (DAAs) have recently become available. They can be super effective with just three months treatment and have fewer side-effects than previous medications.

9.Amazing! Can anyone get DAAs?

The main issue with DAAs is their high cost, which is posing a major barrier to them being made available worldwide.

In 2015, after many years of waiting for some, the NHS finally agreed to fund the roll out of DAAs to those who need it. But negotiations with drug companies are ongoing - to try and get the price of these costly drugs down.

All patients starting DAAs must be fully committed to taking the treatment every day and eliminating any risk of reinfecting themselves during treatment, e.g. not injecting drugs or taking sexual risks - as repeat treatments cannot be guaranteed.

The more people we can cure of Hep C, the more we can prevent it's spread.

Excitingly, the effects of these new DAA drugs are already being felt. Provisional data suggests up to a 40% increase in people accessing treatment for Hep C in 2015. This is alongside an 11% fall in the number of deaths due to liver cancer and end stage liver disease caused by Hep C.